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Patent ed Sept. 27, I898.

J, M. HENIGAN.

R AIL C L A M P.

(Application filed Feb. 3; 1897.1

'2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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Patented. Sept. 27, I898.

J. m. HENIGAN.

HA I L CL A M P.

(Application filed. Feb. 3, 1897.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

INVENTOR .YHE ucnms PETERS on PHOTO-LITHO., wAenmuTbN,-p.c

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JOHN M.- nENieAn, or UVALDE, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF onE-nALE T CHARLES w.WATT, OF sAME PLAcE.

RAIL-CLAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 611,481, datedSeptember 27, 1898..

Application filed February 3,1897. Serial No. 621 ,746. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. HENIGAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Uvald e, in the county of Uvalde and State of Texas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail Clamps or Braces;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention,

' such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use the same.

This invention has reference to a novel construction in a clamp or bracefor railroadrails, the object being to provide a simple inexpensivedevice of this character which can be applied to rails either at thecurved portion of the track, at the switches or sidings, or any otherplace where it is desired to brace and hold the rails in their correctposition.

The invention consists in the features of construction hereinafter fullydescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specificatiomFigure1 is a perspective view of the clamp applied to a track and illustratingthe manner in which it braces the guard-rail of a switch. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustratingthe manner in which the clamp is applied to the curved portion of thetrack. Fig. 4: is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5is a perspective View illustrating another application of the inventionto a switch and its guard-rail.

The primary object of this invention is of course to hold the rails inthe correct position-that is to say, in a curved track to hold them fromspreading; in a switch to hold the main rails from spreading, andalso tohold the guard-rail in correct position in relation to the main rail. Inthe embodiment shown in Fig. 1 said clamp is provided with two jaws, oneof which is arranged to hold one rail 1 of the track, while the otherjaw is arranged to hold the other rail 2 and the guard-rail of theswitch. This latter construction is also shown in detail in Fig. 5 andis used in this connection, since at this end of the guard-rail it isnot feasible to place another jaw in connection with this and fastenthis jaw to the adjacent rail of the track, since this adjacent rail isusually the spring-rail of the switch, which is movable. In this lattercase the jaw is fastened directly to one of the ties 4..

In accordance with the pri'nciple'involved by this invention I makea'clamp that is' to be held rigidly in position and which is providedwith a jaw consisting, es'sentially, of a base 5, an outer shoulder 6, areturn-flange 7, and an inner shoulder 8. These parts form thestationary member of the jaw, while a movable member 9 is employedhaving a flat portion 10 to rest upon the base and come in contact withthe shoulder 8 and the uprising inclined portion 11.to engage the flangeof the rail. In use the flange of the rail rests upon the base 5 and isheld at one side by the flange 7 of the stationary member 5. When onlyone rail is to be held in the jaw, this base 5 is just long enough toreceive the flange of the rail under the flange 7 and the stationarymember 5 to be secured against the shoulder 8,with its uprising portion1.1 fitting upon and against the flange of the rail. This movable member9 is held in position by means of a screw-threaded bolt and not passingthrough openings in the flat portion 10 thereof and the base 5. When itis desired to hold two rails-for instance, the main rail and theguard-rail the base 5 is a little longer and of sufficient length toallow afslight space between the flanges of the two rails to receive thesecondmovable member 12. This movable member 12 is provided with a flatpart 13, that rests upon the base 5 ofthe stationary member and isprovided at its ends with uprising portions 14 to engage the adjacentflanges of the main and guard rails, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In Figs. 1 and 2 this construction is shown as applied to the switchportion of the track, wherein two jaws are employed, each of which isprovided with a shank 15, having a screwthreaded rod 16 and turnbuckle17. In this way the clamp can be applied and by means of the turnbucklecan be tightenedto any IOO at comparatively short intervals, whichinjures the tie in such a manner that it must be replaced. With thisinvention the tie is not subjected to more than the ordinary wear ofrailroad-ties.

In Figs. 3 and 4 the invention is shown as applied to the curved portionof the track to prevent the rails from spreading, due to the unusualstrain at this portion. This clamp consists of two jaws connected by theturnbuckle or tightening device, as shown.

In Fig. 5 is shown another manner in which this invention is applied andat the end of the guard-rail opposite which is the springrail of theswitch. It is obvious that the clamp cannot be fastened by means ofanother clamp fastened to another rail, since this spring-rail ismovable, and therefore the shank 15 is fastened to a plate or bracket18, secured to the tie 4, and, in fact, in any other convenient manner.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

In a clamp of the character set forth, the combination of a shankprovided at its outer portions with outwardly facing shoulders formed bystriking the said shank downwardly at said points and from whichcontinues opposite stationary jaws having outer upturned ends to engagethe outer portions of the base-flanges and railway-rails, the one jawfrom the position of the shoulder being longer than the other, movablemembers having their inner ends fitted against the shoulders and theirouter portions flared upwardly to pass over the inner parts of thebase-flanges of the rail and detachably secured by bolts, anotherremovable member having its opposite ends fiared upwardly and adapted tobe placed upon the longer jaw between closelyarranged rails, and aturnbuckle at about the central portion of the shank, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JOHN M. I-IENIGAN.

Witnesses:

J. W. GANs, J. L. MARTIN.

